Straightening machine



Oct. 28,- 1941.

B. P. HAZELTINE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14,1941 GZVWZ/ M111, Ma 11v INVENTOR.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .I INVENTOR. a fl/v eai,

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Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRAIGHTENTNG MACHINEBenjamin Hazeltine, Wheeling, W. Va. Application May 14, 1941, SerialNo. 393,345

(cuss-54) 14 Claims.

This invention relates to the straightening of cylindrical blanks suchastubing, rods and-like articles of circular cross section, and moreparticularly to apparatus in which such blanks are straightened by thethreads or flights of rotating screws. a

This invention is especially applicable to hot straightening as shown inmy Patents Nos.

1,758,699 and 2,199,130. The machines shown in those patents are quitelimited by the pitch of the straightening screws as to-the sizes ofblanks"- that they can straighten. Thus, a straightening machine forsmall diameter, blanks will not straighten large blanks, and vice versa,wherefore it is necessary to have straightening machines of differentsizes. This greatly increases the cost of straightening and requiresconsiderably more floor space.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a straighteningmachine of the general character disclosed in my above-mentioned patentswhich can be adjusted to accommodate blanks of many different sizes andwhich can straighten relatively long blanks'as wellas short ones.

In accordance with this invention a plurality of 5 tacts. The engagementof the blank on Opp site sides by the screw flights creates a forwardthrust, due to the rear flights, which is opposed by the reaction of theforward flights, and the revolving flights cause the blank to rotatewhile moving it lengthwise and toward the delivery ends of the screws sothat the thrust acting upon longitudinally spaced points along the blankis applied progressively to its periphery from end to end. In the caseof a bent or kinked blank moving through the flights, unevenlyfdis-'tributed stresses will be created due tothe tendency for the points ofsupport to be out of line, and as the blank rotates the increasedstresses applied to the bent portions act around the blank to bring itinto line. To accommodate blanks of different outside diameters, thescrews are so mounted that they can be swung laterally so that, ineffect, their pitch is increased or decreased for receiving andstraightening blanks of larger or Preferably, there are located betweensome of the screws rollers that are screw is journaled in a bearingsupported in "manner to be described presently.

screws. As the blanks travel longitudinally of the screws they move uponto these rollers until the blanks are freed from the grip of thescrews, whereupon the rollers quickly move the blanks longitudinallyacross the screws back toward the end of the machine at which they firstengaged the screws so that they will not-leave the machinesbeforetheyhave traversed the full length 'of the screws.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of my straighteningmachine; Fig.2 is a combined side view and vertical section taken on theline II-II of Fig. '1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken onthe line III'--III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 isan enlarged fragrnentary viewtaken on the line IV--IV of Fig. 1; and'Fig'S'is an enlarged fragmentaryend view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 1. 1 Referring to the drawings, aplurality of substantially parallel screw flights I are disposedinlaterally spaced relation in a common horizontal plane. series of screwsthat end of each screw has its projecting shaft journaled in the upperportion of a gear box 2 in which a bevel gear 3 is rigidly mounted onthe shaft. This gear meshes with another bevel gear 4 on the upper endof a vertical shaft 6 journaled in the lower portion of the gear boxfrom the bottom of which the shaft projects. Mounted on the lower end ofthis shaft is a bevel gear 1 that is driven by a similar gear 8 mountedon a horizontal line shaft 9 extending the full length of the machine.As shown in Fig. 4, this line shaft is journaled in housings ll thatrest on a suitable foundation and is rotated by a large bevel gear 12 atits center driven by a bevel pinion l3 from a motor l4 disposed at theside of the machine. The opposite endof each The screws are preferablyarranged in spaced groupsand disposed between the groups of gear boxes 2are brackets 15 projecting therefrom. Mounted on some of these bracketsare electric motors I! each of which drives a roller l8 journaled on ahorizontal axis at the entry end of the adjacent screws. The tops ofthese rollers are above the tops of the screws so that when a blank,such as a pipe, is deposited on the rollers at the right-hand end of themachine as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, they will carry it lengthwiseof themachine to the opposite end thereof where it will strike a suitable stop1 9. 'Due tothe length rotated in a direction opposite to that of the Q5of the p pgs it s nOt-necessarythat the rollers As shown in Fig. 3, atone side of the r horizontal arm 23 mounted at the back, of the troughat the'upper end of a vertical rotatable" shaft 24 the lower end ofwhich carries a lat-. 7 Connecting these levers are rods 21 .which areperiodically erally projecting lever 26 (Fig. 3).

pulled by an electrically operated mechanism. 28 ,(Figs. 1 and '2) atone end of the machine in V Q fi i .t s in arm i ir h trough an ther b uh. p n IUPQYth sbreWsA j' between some of the screws .are cro'ss bars:29 1) which can be raised by handleye'rs 30 suitably connected to themat one endfso that in e case anything go es wrong with the machine thepipes can be raised bythe oii t of vengage- ;rnent withjthe screws toavoiddamag'el Itis a feature of this invention'th at this niachine canbe Y adjusted to accommodate blanks of larger or smaller outsidediameter than it willlaccommodatewhen the screws are in the Apositionshown; in Fig. 1'. Accordingly, "the screws are so mounted that onevenfd can 'b'e swung laterally in either direction as indicated bythebroken lines beside the end screws, To permit this [lateral adiustmentthe lower" portion of each gear be 2 is encircled by a'horz'ontal flange36 that rests onman annular, shoulder .31. formed in an upwardlyprojecting cylin- ,dric'al portion of shaft housing ll, as shown inzliigs. 3'and 4. The gear box is th 'us'adapted to be t rned pn a; e tca e irq iv 9 h shait housing supporting it. The bearing 38 for theother end, of each screw rests 'o'nfa di'aW- plate-39 extending the runlength of the Tina- 'chine and slidably supported on a horizontal .Ieamjl mounted on a suitable foundation. These be'a rings 38' arepivotally connecte'd t'o the .QlfiW'PlMQbYg in st l @Pi 2.. P Q i i -,.d2.w ,w rd r 2 19 he btt m. f h 'be fifi in an o e n inlth dr wl te: T e,

imitat -thu e1 ced e mie d i s apa t sq a hQ mWS wi b'e m nt'ei itiliel'when adjusted..laterally. The bearings are h ld. t e r ws me ns9i t e '4 Iconnecting thebearings to gear box z'a's shown m i zeae, ,Nl-

, As s hown inFigs. 1 and 5, rigidly mounted on one end of the -drtransverse teet nfits upper surface meshing with a pinion 8 mounted on'a 'shaft msj'our- I fiiai'ed ayoke ifiqfektendingacross'tlie top of tdraw-plate andsupported .by atra'ns'verse thi spondingdirefgtion theends i re pivotallyattalhedfto; the p I y p f p S iijovinfnt the amprael infeeare h eji f si 'a .l w 'Qn t iq i %t fi a thereof. fonseduently,"the iackusufiaae wider aw plate is 'a rack zis having v plate eitheritof, the left'onrig'ht; thereby than pinion 46 sothat it will remain inengagement with the pinion as the rack moves laterally beneath it.

When the draw-plate is moved to the right as viewed in'Fig. lvthe pitchof the screws is, in effect, decreased sothat they can grip andeffectively straighten smaller pipes. If the, drawplateis moved to theleft the pitch of the screws is increased so that larger pipes can beaccommodatedbetween their flights and beistraightened thereby, I

Another feature of this invention of the groups'of screws, the topsdftlie '25 rollers extending up between the screws fair that therollers, can in the pipes lengtm cfhlne'at whicfri they'starte'd theirtravel across the. 'iirig'sjsrmoiiiited an a tablefiti and are driven'bychain and sprocket drives 59ffrom amotorffiil suspended from'one endofthe table. The end of each roller adjacent the entry end 'oftli'e istapere'd'sothat a's'a pipe is moved l'aterally by the screws it'will beron u up the ta- ,pered ends of the rollers an'do'iitothe cylindricalportions thereof out of the "grip of thesc'rew t 40 nights. The'serollers fare rotated quite rapidly vso that 'as soon a's the pipe is"released from the gag [pf t e screwsitis quickly moved back ;t o theleft-handend ofthe machine whereit is i stopped b'y'sto'p [9. As soon asthe piperolls'off theqppositeend of the rollers it is again gripped.byitherscrews and carried back" towar the righthand end of themachinewhich "a magpie; will reach substantially at the time itleavesthe delivery ends ,of the screws. 1 Thus, 'a'ff relatively shortstraightening machine is adapted. "to straighten relatively long'pi'pesl I I r f 1 Sh r ip s.,..h h o n h tbb tidied back :across thetable ;by rollers 56, -or forp es ,o lar er. smalle d ameter which in t,ss ew at d rent l e v raised or lojwered by levers. is r des rable to beabl e'to"ad'jfist'th" 'ol ler 70 I tafbie longitudihally whenjiiitfallysb that: s will n'btst the roller According b'i'y l lengthwisef th'eireo threadably meant-ed "in" on t is that, re- "gardless of thelengthof the pipes being straighti V problem isfsoiv'ed by thisinvention by mounting rollers 56 between at least enough to supportpipes out of gripping r a tion with the screw flights' as shownin'F1g.-3,

wise back toward thefleft-liahdnd of the mascrews. The rollers arejournal'ed in team :rotatably mounted in an upright bearing. 13. at theadjacent end of the frame. This screw :can be tu rned'by a hand-wheelI4.

Although only one row of rollers 56 has been illustrated, it will beobvious that for a shorter machine or for still longer pipes one. ormore additional rows of like rollers can-be mounted in the same mannerbetween the screws so that described what I now consider to representits best. embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that,within the'scope of the appendediclaiins, the invention may bepracticed, othera wise than as specifically illustratedand described.

I claim: I

.1. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced screwflights disposed in a common plane,said flights being formed to receive a blank transversely thereofand toengage it on opposite sides and means for swinging the screws on.axes'perpendicular to said plane to position said flights forreceivingand straightening blanks of larger or smaller outside diameter.

2. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced screw flights disposed in a common plane,said flights being formed .to receive a blank transversely thereof andto engage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spaced points, meansfor rotating said screws to rotate and straighten the blankwhileconveying itlongitudinally of thescrews,

and 'means for swinging all of the screws the same number of degrees onaxes perpendicular to said plane to position said flights for receivingand straightening blanks of larger or smaller outside diameter.

3. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced parallel screw flights wound in the samedirection, said flights being formed to receive a blank transverselythereof and to engage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spacedpoints, means for rotating said screws to rotate and straighten theblank while conveying it longitudinally of the screws, and means forswinging all of the screws laterally in the same direction to positionsaid flights for receiving and straightening blanks of larger or smalleroutside diameter.

4. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced parallel screw flights Wound in the samedirection, said flights being formed to receive a blank transverselythereof and to engage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spacedpoints, means for rotating said screws to rotate and straighten theblank while conveying it longitudinally of the screws, and means forsimultaneously swinging all of the screws laterally in parallel relationto position said flights for receiving and straightening blanks oflarger or smaller outside diameter.

5. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced screw flights disposed in a common plane,said flights being formed to receive a blank transversely thereof and toengage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spaced points, means forrotating said screws to rotate and straighten the blank while conveyingit longitudinally of the screws,'meanspivotally mounting one end of eachscrew on an axis perpendicular to said plane, and means for swinging theopposite end of each screw around said axis to position said flights forreceiving and straightening blanks of larger'or smaller outsidediameter. Y

6. Aj machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced screw flights'disposed in a common plane,said flights being formed to receive a-blank transversely thereof and-toengage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spaced points, meansforrotating said screws to rotate and straighten the blank while conveyingit longitudinally of the screws, means for swinging thescrews on, axesperpendicular to said plane to position said flights for receiving andstraightening blanks of :larger or smaller outside diameter, and meansbetween at least some of said screws for raising the blanks out ofstraightening-relation with said flights and for moving the blankslongitudinally across the screws. I I

7. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced screw flights disposed in a common plane,said flights being formed to receive a blank transversely thereof and toengage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spaced points, means forrotating said screws to rotate and straighten the blank while conveyingit longitudinally of the screws, means for swinging the screws on axesperpendicular to said plane to position said flights for receiving andstraightening blanks of larger or smalleroutside diameter, rollersbetween at least some of said screws for raising the blanks out ofstraightening relation with said flights, and means for driving saidrollers in adirection opposite to the direction of rotation of thescrews to move the blanks longitudinally back across the screws in-thedirection from whence they came.

8. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced screw flights disposed in a common plane,said flights'being formed to receive a blank transyersely thereof and toengage it on opposite sides tering ends of the screws for temporarilyraising the blanks out of straightening relation with said flights, andmeans for driving said rollers in a direction opposite to the directionof rotation of the screws to move the blanks longitudinally back acrossthe screws in the direction from whence they came.

9. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterally spaced screw flights disposed in a common plane,said flights being formed to receive a blank transversely thereof and toengage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spaced points, means forrotating said screws torotate and straighten the blank while conveyingit longitudinally of the screws, means for swinging the screws on axesperpendicular to said plane to position said di meters, I 7 1 p Imachine for Straightening eyundneal- I blanks act of straighten ngrelation with as flights, means rer adjusting the rollers laterally toaccord with the "swinging "or the screws, and means for drivingsaidminers in a directio'n o'p to move the blanks longitudinally back acrossthe screws in the direction from whence they came.

10. A machin for straightening cylindrical osite to the direction ofrotation or the screws b anks, com rising a'piurant enateran spacedscrew flights disposed in a common horizontal plane, said flights beingformed tore'ceive abla'nk transversely thereof and to engage it onopposite sides at longitudinally spaced poimgmeans for rotating saidscrews to rotate and straighten the blank while conveying itlongitudin'any of the blanks, 'qemprisin a plurality of laterally-spacedscrew flights disposed in a cornr'noh p ane, said flights b'emgrormed toreceive a blank transversely thereof and to engage it on opposite sidesat longitudinally spaced paints, lllflli$ fol "rotating said screws torotate and straighten the 1 blank While "conveying it longitudinally orthe sc ews, ajshiftin g mem er moyabie in I said plane and locatedadjacent one end of the, screws,

inea'n's pivotally mou'n'ting the adjacent ends of the screws in saidmember on aXes perpendicular to saidpl'ane, and means 'for sievin saidmember in said plane to simultaneously-swing all'o'f'the screws"laterally to positibn fs'ald flights f oi ieceiving and straighteningblanks of different 12'. blanks, comprising pllir'ali'fiy er lateral-1yspabed rew flights disposed "in a" cbhimh pl-aiie, safefiights'heingformed to receive a blank transverse- 1y thereof 'and'toengage it on opposite sides' -at longitudinally spaced points, means forrotating said screws to rotate and straighten the blank while conveyingit longitudinally of the screws,"a

slide plate located adjacent one end of the'screws,

bearings for said ends of the screws and pivotally mounted in saidplate-,"and means for sliding'said plate in said plane tosimultaneouslyswingalloi the screws laterally to position said flightsfor receiving and straightening blanks of, different diameters.

13; A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of laterallyspaced screw 'flights' disposed in a common-pl-'ane,*said flights being formed to receive a blank transverselythereof and to engage it on opposite sides at'longitudinally' spacedpoints, means 'for rotating said screws to rotate and straighten-theblank whileconveying it longitudinally ofthe screws, a

slide plate located adjacent oneen'd 'of'the screws,

hearings for said ends of the screws-and pivotally mounted in saidplate, a rack mounted on said plate, a pinion meshing with therack, andmeans for driving the pinion to slide said plate in said plane wherebyto simultaneously swing all of the screws laterally 'to positionsaid-flights for receiving and straightening blanks of difierentdiameters.

14. A machine for straightening cylindrical blanks, comprising aplurality of'laterally-spaced screw flights disposed in a common plane,said flights being formed to receive a blank trans 'versely thereof andto engage it on opposite sides at longitudinally spaced points, a gearbox adjacent one endo'f each screw mounted for rotation on an axisperpendicular to "said plane, the end of the "adjacent screwproj'ectinginto each gear box, a source of power, gearing operatively connectingsaid source of power to the end of the screw projecting'into each gearbox, and meansfor swinging the opposite endsof'the screws on the axes ofthe'geariboxes to position'said'flights for receiving and straighteningblanks of different outside diameters.

BENJAMIN, -P. HAZELTINE.

